Sam I then suggest that you not by the kit, and not buy anything else from Revell or any other company that changes prices on an item that was estimated months before final production costs were available.
You will then have plenty of time to build models as you probably won't be buying any new ones.
Steve,
Since you know me I will take you comments as "sour grapes" and not personal. My test shot came rattling around in a very large box, stapled instruction sheets, no decals and a few broken pieces. In return I take a quick look at the "pieces" and provide some feedback to the company on the technical aspects of the kit and instructions. At times I have had to do some quite extensive research to provide the info for the decals and box art markings, usually on very short turnaround.
I made no comments about the kit one way or the other. I was commenting about the lack of knowledge about the hobby industry that exists among most modelers and the need to express opinions based on that lack of knowledge.
I do a lot of research, free of cost, to some of the companies. In return, I sometimes get a few "free" kits sent my way, including some test shots. If I was to charge them the same cost that my company charges our "customer" for my services I would be making more than enough to purchase the kits at the local hobby shop for full retail, and you would be paying quite a bit more to help cover my costs.
As I have access to the information and have some long term friends in the aviation history and hobby industry, a very large photo and publication library and some extra time (at the expense of modeling - just ask Ted) I can dig up info that improves the kits for all of us. I consider it a small payback to the hobby that has provided over 48 years of interest (since my dad started me at age 6). A test shot or couple of kits is scant recompense for the time spent.
BTW, the constant "nitpicking" about products does have an impact on the hobby as a whole. Modelers who complain and "refuse" to buy something because it is not "perfect" are constant complaints from dealers, suppliers and manufacturers. In many cases this "moaning" begins the instant the kit is announced. For instance, Revell GmbH announced the Bv 222 V-2, a very large kit of an aircraft that had very few built. Due to many variations the kit will build only one particular aircraft, out of the box. Within days of the announcement I saw modelers "moaning" that Revell was not doing the V-10 or the Bv 222 C or some other aircraft. Give me a break!! The kit is accurate, fits almost perfectly and is well engineered, all for a price of under $30. Why do we not accept it and forget the "moaning"? The constant "moaners" will eventually harm us all by reducing the desire to release new items into the market.
Steve, sorry about the long reply, but your suggestion that my comments are because I get a test shot is not justifiable. I will state that I probably have more knowledge and information about the hobby than the normal modeler and that makes my comments a bit more informed than the "they raised the prices moaners".
Bill
Oh, BTW, the price is going up again!
For the 3rd time.
Wonder what the story is for this.
James
You mean to tell me that a company with many years experience in the business can't do basic cost projections? If so, that would suggest significant problems at large.
Moreover, let's suppose that costs are elastic as the project progresses. Basic professionalism would not announce a price until the final cost is known. Just because you announce a new product, doesn't mean you must include a price.
Yet, again, goes back to professionalism.
I once worked for a translation company that charged about 4 times more than the competition. The reason was that we used a multi-layered quality check system that the others lacked.
There was no compromise on quality. That meant that we often lost jobs when clients did not understand the quality difference. Then, we then got some of them back after the cheap translation bit them.
The point is, our company knew what we were producing, how we were going to do it, and how much it would cost (barring changes made by the customer, not us).
You have yet to explain how model production is different than any other business.
Sam,
I suggest you contact Revell GmbH, offer your "considerable" knowledge on how to run a company and let's see if they take you up on your offer. Since I do not work in the industry, but do have some insight into some of the factors involved, I cannot "...explain how model production is different than any other business" to your satisfaction. Let's just say that the level of quality, variety and quantity of the kits coming from Revell GmbH in the past few years is a real boon to the hobby.
If you don't want to pay a bit more for the U-Boat kit then don't. If you don't want to buy Revell because of a lack of "professionalism", then don't. But don't complain about "professionalism" just because one price changes, as there is no correlation. In many cases, the companies creating the cost drivers for Revell are the one's that lack "professionalism" as they are just interested in making a buck. And since the model builder usually buys the new kit, regardless of price, it really doesn't matter what the price is. It's just another modelers' "whine".
Since you have absolutely no knowledge of the global, interconnected multi-country effort that goes into making a kit, and the vagaries of rising prices, limited options (few molding companies), currency fluctuations, etc. I suggest that you keep your remarks about "professionalism" in the hobby industry until you have the opportunity to run your own company.
I've wasted too much time on this.
WTH does 'kewl' mean.
RobG (the Aussie one)
Sounds like the Federal Government!
Bill Shuey (retired D.o.D.)
I will state that I probably
Actually, I have spent a lot of time working with a product designer on injection moulded products, and have a pretty clear view of the process. So I stand by what I said about pricing the project from the outset, and feel I am qualified to do so. So lets not enter into a professional pi**ing contest. You seem to have lost sight of my original point. I agree that Revell need to make a profit, I agree that 40 quid for a big U-Boat is a reasonable price, I agree that a big tool to make the kit will be expensive. BUT I stand by my original point (again!) that announcing one price, getting a big positive response, then hiking it by 33% is opportunistic. Its all about trust and ethics (another of those quaint old English words). Incidentally, my local plastic pusher, who has stuff ordered from the first batch (the 30 quid batch, remember?) is quoting 40 quid for that. When he looks me in the eye and tells me they were always going to be 40, he loses my trust for ever.
I agree with you entirely here. Must be mellowing in my old age!!!!!! Apparently the Sherman I recently built has the wrong engine cover, and therefore I should not have bought it. Looks like a Sherman to me, so I'm happy. If I carry on in this vein, I will end up telling everyone what a fine chap you are. (I'm sure you ARE!) Kind regards, N
ps be nice to Steve, he's an Essex lad!
It's just a goofy variation on "cool". And I STILL say screw the price, I want that sub kit!!!
-John
Wow, I guess that Master in International Transactions and all those years in various global businesses put your knowledge far and away ahead of mine. Oh wait, got those roles reversed there.
You are right about the wasted time though. Good for you, we all need our little victories.
Well said!
As yes! I was waiting for the "education club" to come out. Perhaps you can be of use to Revell and others with that "International Transactions" degree. (Never heard of one before).
Reminds me of the AF mechanic who earner a BA in Business while on Okinawa and proceeded to write Revell and Monogram about all the mistakes they were making and how they were running a very poor business, especially in light of his "education". Of course he was also cleaning out the local hobby stores of every new release they had so he would have a stash of unbuilt kits when he returned to the States.
Still doesn't have anything to do with the price that was changed before the product hit the market. See the CaptCBoard comments above for a real "professional" approach to the subject.
See CaptCBoard's comments above about professionalism when it comes to pricing.
I know Steve is an Essex lad, and he hangs around good company as well (Ted Taylor and the other guys in their branch).
Do you get this upset when the price ends up lower than anticipated? Would that not show the same lack of professionalism?
Tom
If you don't like the price, or the manufactures policies, don't buy the Kit. IMHO, no one has given Modeelers more "bang for the buck", or modeling pleasure than Revell/ Monogram Sure as "heck" beats the Balsa block and slab, with mimeographed plans that a lot of us started out with!
Regards, Andy Aurora, Ontario Canada
As you can bet upper management told whomever was close to this screw-up. When people are involved, stuff like this happens. Remember Lockheed-Martin screwing up an English-to-metric conversion on one of the Mars landers? Shouldn't have happened (and far worse than getting the pricing wrong on a pile of decorative plastic bits), but it did. LM is still one of the most talent-laden, solution-oriented companies in Aerospace/Defense (and apparently at least not ethically challenged the way Boeing is). Likewise, Revell generally delivers extreme value for the buck (witness the BV 222, which despite some minor flaws is a great buy--I'm not the leat bit sorry to have it), but I don't expect them to take it in the shorts indefinitely on one molding because they mispriced the first batch. £40 is a lot, but not if you really want a big U-Boat, and the fact that it was msitakenly marketed at first for £30 ought not be considered some cast-in-concrete covenant with God that the price will never change. As a bait-and-switch tactic it would be just plain dumb. They made a mistake; they don't want to compound it.
Mark Schynert
Second!!!
Upon looking at the various websites, culling info on the kit, I'm inclined to get one as well! Whatever the price may be, plus $10 or plus $20... It looks like a winner either way.
Frank Kranick
Rufus wrote:
Yes and yes.
In point of fact, I have brought such mistakes to peoples' attention in the past. Sometimes I get charged the correct price. Sometimes they sell it to me at the wrong pricce, then fix the mistake.
I am big believer in honesty on a personal level and would like others to treat me similarly.
I agree.
And, I've also pointed out that I realize mistakes happen. I've also noted that it is good for Revell to honor the mistaken prices for the first lot (which is a mark of professionalism).
However, I still hold that pricing error of that size is a bit more than a basic mistake. Someone makes a typo and hits a 4 instead of 5, sure. Someone, in a business, comes back and says "Oops, we miscalculated by 30%+/-" and I go back to my stated view.
Fair enough. I certainly have lots of their kits. And, I never once said that the entire company is responsible for the topic at hand.
Although, given some responses, I guess I should have spent 6 paragraphs of caveats about individuals' vs. departments' vs companies' and professionalism (given that it applies to each equally well) etc., etc., etc.
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